(FEB NEWS) Amidst the rapid changes in broadcast media consumption patterns, the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (FEB UNAIR) in collaboration with JTV held a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) entitled “Navigating a Changing Media Landscape” on Friday (May 16), at the 4th Floor of the ASEEC Building (Rote Room), Campus B, Surabaya. This event became a strategic forum for academics and media practitioners to discuss various challenges and opportunities in the broadcasting transformation process in Indonesia. The FGD presented the main speaker, Iman Brotoseno, President Director of LPP TVRI, who explained his views on the future of the television industry in the digital era.

Recently, the issue of layoffs in the broadcasting industry has become a hot topic, both on social media and in direct conversations between media workers. "Many of those who lost their jobs contacted me, hoping to join our platform, because state-owned television stations are considered less likely to lay off employees," said Iman. However, if layoffs occur on state-owned television, it has the potential to become a major issue on social media, as has happened before.

This phenomenon shows that the problem is serious and not unique to Indonesia. Worldwide, interest in watching TV has begun to decline, especially since the onset of media disruption. Television's position in the media literacy landscape is increasingly marginalized. In the United States, Nielsen noted that only 23% of TV viewers remain, while the remainder have shifted to streaming . In Indonesia, although 56% of people still watch TV in 2023, "I believe that number will have decreased in 2024. In fact, data shows that national TV audiences are decreasing by around 7% annually. If this trend continues, it is not impossible that by 2030, conventional TV will no longer be the primary medium. So what has changed is not the TV, but the way it is watched," explained Iman.

So, does this mean television will become extinct? Of course not. What has changed are consumption patterns. Television as an industry still exists, but the way people access its content has shifted. Now, television is consumed through YouTube, Facebook, and various other digital platforms. Viewing activities are no longer collective, but personal and flexible. This requires the television industry to continuously adapt. Social media is now not only a distribution channel but also a primary source of information. "If you want to know what's trending out there, just open Twitter or TikTok for an hour," said Iman.

The younger generation tends to prefer two-way interaction, not just passive recipients of information. They trust recommendations from friends on social media more than mainstream media. Therefore, television needs to build a community ecosystem with relevant content, such as lifestyle, travel, and culinary. For example, TVRI South Sulawesi created a local tourism program in Rammang-Rammang, Maros. Although the location is not yet widely known, the content managed to become a topic of conversation on social media and attract audience interest, albeit in a different way.

Television can also be an educational tool for the younger generation. Many of them are interested in the world of camera work, editing, and film production. "If you want to learn about broadcasting, come to a TV station. We need a new, fresh, creative generation," added Iman.

We can emulate the BBC, which has had iPlayer and even aims to abandon conventional broadcasting entirely by 2030. Relevance is crucial, not just survival. "We're not losing viewers; we're just losing the old way of engaging with them," Iman concluded. It's time for television to evolve, not just technologically, but also in how we think and build relationships with the public.

Author: Sevanya Fildzah Setiawan (E-Radio FEB UNAIR)